As journalism reaches an explosive moment in its history, journalist and media commentator, Roy Greenslade examines the ways in which reporting 'the truth' is under pressure from governments, corporations and vast new waves of internet publishing.
Part 1 - When Governments Control the News
Roy asks what happens when governments control the news. He'll report on the rise of journalist deaths, due to war and state-sponsored murder. In the aftermath of the parliamentary elections in Russia we'll hear how Putin's control of the media is carefully calculated to give vent to the news of a small proportion of the population, leaving the majority in his thrall. Roy also hears from exiled Zimbabwean journalists who continue to report on Zimbabwe's degeneration at the hands of the government, from outside the country. Giulia Segrena and Ali Fadhil talk about the difficulties for foreign journalists reporting from Iraq.
Part 2 - Whose Truth on the Web?
Roy asks where truth on the web is. He'll report on the extraordinary freedom that Malaysian bloggers experience in a country where the mainstream media is controlled by the government. In 1998, Prime Minister Mahathir pledged unconditional freedom as part of the multimedia super corridor. Ten years later there is a huge tension between the online and the state controlled news. Roy also talks to Salam Pax, the so-called Baghdad Blogger.
Part 3 - Radios for Democracy
Roy reports on the role of radio in building democracies in Indonesia and Afghanistan. With Lucy Williamson, BBC Correspondent in Jakarta, he also witnesses the opening of a new radio station in remote Papua and hears from Papuans looking forward to modernisation, independent news and information on health and food in their community, which will begin with the radio broadcasts. With Mahmood Waseem, Roy shows how Radio Afghanistan, the first independent radio station in Afghanistan following the fall of the Taleban, is key to building confidence and awareness across the country.
Part 4 - Corporate Power and Propaganda
In the concluding programme Roy finds out how free the press can claim to be in Britain and America. Does ownership, advertising and the drive for circulation shape our media for good or ill? Roy hears from citizen journalist Josh Wolf, defiant and determined to maintain journalistic integrity despite spending six months in a US jail for not handing over film footage. Plus a report on the drastic budget cuts to investigative journalism and the measures being taken to maintain high journalistic skills.
12 December - programme times (Wednesday Documentary)
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